Episode 27

027 | Brand Mysticism: how to create winning brands from the bottom-up | with Steven Grasse, Founder of Quaker City Mercantile (Philadelphia, PA, USA)

In episode 027 I had the honor of interviewing Steven Grasse. He is the founder of the renowned agency Quaker City Mercantile and of Tamworth Distilling. He is a legend in the drinks industry, having created brands such as Hendrick's gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, and having crafted great rebirths such as Pilsner Urquell, Guinness, and Miller High Life. I hope you will enjoy our chat.


Main Topics Discussed:

0 to 1 Bottle:

- Differentiating Liquid

- Why Not to Chase Trends

- Bridging Categories through Taste Profile


1 Bottle to 1 Case:

- Building a Rich Brand World

- The Importance of Rituals

- Choosing Partners & Distributors


1 Case to 1 Pallet

- On, Off-Trade and State Monopolies

- Institutional Knowledge

- Award Show


About The Host: Chris Maffeo

About The Guest: Steven Grasse

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About the Podcast

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The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast
Brands Are Built Bottom-up.

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About your host

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Chris Maffeo

With 20 years of experience working for some of the biggest drinks brands across 30+ markets, I've developed a unique understanding of how brands grow in today's market.
Now, I help drinks brands build sustainable growth through bottom-up demand creation.
My methodology focuses on how brand demand spreads - from initial venue adoption to international expansion.
I teach brands how to create, convert, and sustain demand across the three critical stages of growth: from one bottle to one case to one pallet.
My expertise lies in understanding how brands grow through genuine advocacy, from bar to bar, city to city, and building foundations that enable natural scaling.
Through consulting, training, and speaking engagements, I help brands:
• Build sustainable demand from the ground up
• Systematize their approach to building brands city by city
• Navigate the path from local success to international growth
• Develop strategies based on occasions rather than demographics